Vitality Cuisine: A cool approach to that summer pie

There isn’t much written on the history of no-bake pies but there is something to be said about icebox pies, which were named after the predecessor of the refrigerator.

Laura Kurella

There isn’t much written on the history of no-bake pies but there is something to be said about icebox pies, which were named after the predecessor of the refrigerator.

Iceboxes date back to the 1830s and back then the average home-owner owned one large enough to hold a 25-pound block of ice.

In the early 1900s, a 25-pound block of ice costs about 15 cents but during the hot summer months, a 25-pound block would last only a day or two, so it would have to be continually replenished.

It wasn’t until around 1913 that electric refrigerators began to be mass-produced and when coupled with the inconvenience of constantly melting ice, met with an inevitable demise.

However, the popularity of the icebox pie it helped create has lived on.

I actually own a cookbook — an old, 1930s Slovak cookbook — that lists one of the more popular icebox pie recipes ever printed.

It reads, “Simply whisk three lemons with 3 raw egg yolks then whisk in 1 can of condensed milk then pour into a graham cracker piecrust.

Pop the pie in your icebox and in 3 hours — it’s done.”

This recipe will still work today. However, due to salmonella, either use antibiotic-free or pasteurized eggs or, simply substitute 8 ounces of Neufchatel cheese for the yolks! The icebox may be long-gone, but the inkling for an icebox pie will never die because they are so easy to make.

There’s no rolling of pastry dough — the crusts are made from crumbs and quickly crisped in the oven.

No complicated fillings — they are either uncooked or prepared easily on the stove.
And pies are simply set in the refrigerator — or freezer — then wait to be served.
They are so simple, in fact. Many consider them foolproof and perfect for beginners and those who want to keep their cooking simple.

Do be sure to keep that pie covered so it does not dry out or absorb any unfavorable odors floating inside of your fridge.